


Ill Conceived

by Beltenebra



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Fluff, Heirs, M/M, Politics, Post-Series, succession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 14:19:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9611171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beltenebra/pseuds/Beltenebra
Summary: Damen returns to Arles for the summer. He and Laurent navigate the tricky business of kingship and the even trickier topic of producing heirs.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pyrrhical (anoyo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anoyo/gifts).



The weeks of travel had been long but not unpleasant. They worked their way up through the Akielon summer, the heat draped closely over the fields like a wool blanket, to the golden, flower studded meadows of southern Vere, following the winding roads that lead to Arles. 

The warmth in the capital was tempered by breezes twisting down out of the mountains, not quite as refreshing as the sea air of Ios but Damen would readily admit that he was biased. They had stopped at various cities and holdings along the usual route to make Damen’s presence known and check in with local leaders. Official missives had been sent north to Arles every step of the way and Damen had no doubt that Laurent had operatives of his own monitoring their progress as well. 

It was almost guaranteed that he would know down to the hour when Damen arrived so it was not at all surprising that when he finally navigated the intricate dance steps of an official arrival and made his way up to the King’s suite that Laurent was waiting for him. The guard at the door did not announce his entrance but Laurent knew it was him even without turning his gaze away from the window that Damen knew looked down onto the central courtyard. 

A light breeze blew the golden threads of Laurent’s hair back off of his shoulder. Damen wanted nothing more than to close the short distance between them and run his fingers through it but he held himself in check for the moment. 

A piece of paper that Damen recognized as one of his own letters dangled deceptively casually from one of Laurent’s hands. 

It had been winter almost turned to the blush of spring when they had begun to discuss the thorny subject of succession. 

“‘I’ll _take care_ of it.’ I believe that’s what you wrote?” Laurent’s voice was honey coated steel, as if he hadn’t memorized every word of Damen’s ill conceived missive. 

Damen grimaced. Ill conceived was right. He had regretted his wording the moment the letter sped off in the courier’s care. That did not, however, make his point invalid. 

“I just meant that if we wanted to consider a natural born heir, to appease the traditionalists, I don’t mind women so I could-”

“Take care of it, yes. I am aware what you meant.” Laurent’s voice was still even and calm, his smile as he whirled around to lean gracefully on the window ledge was the perfect picture of cool amusement. He was so beautiful it made Damen’s chest hurt - a sharp momentary pressure as he processed that he was here, that even if Laurent was feet away and mocking him that they were together again. Honestly, it was a rare moment that Laurent wasn’t mocking him at least a little. 

Damen would take what he could get and if Laurent wanted to have this conversation now he wouldn’t back down. 

He kept his tone light and conversational, not wanting to turn a discussion into anything like an actual argument. “‘You were born to rule, Damen’ that’s what you said. ‘As was I’. Shouldn’t we have an heir from one of our bloodlines?”

Laurent narrowed his summer sky eyes, calculating. “You may have been born to the throne but don’t forget that _I_ was not. I had to make myself fit.”

“Yes, we’re all very lucky that you turned out to be so good at ordering people around.” 

That startled a chuckle out of Laurent - a bright shaft of sunlight cutting through the clouds and Damen was helpless not to smile in response. When he opened his arms a few moments later, Laurent glided into them like he had never left. 

After a soft, exploratory kiss that left them both a little unsteady Damen rested his head against the silken gold of Laurent’s hair. “I take it you already have an alternative plan?”

“Of course.” 

 

The next day he followed Laurent through the palace to a ground floor room that opened into an interior garden, flooded with golden afternoon sunlight. Three of the walls were lined with bookshelves and writing materials while the center was dominated by a large table. It was currently occupied by a young man and woman and an older woman Damen assumed was a tutor who seemed to be leading them through a discussion on economics. 

The woman’s eyes flicked up to Laurent just long enough to take in the brief shake of his head and turned back to her charges without missing a beat. The students, to their credit, did not let themselves be distracted by the mere presence of others in the room, let alone royal visitors. 

Damen was impressed by the level of their discourse and the seriousness with which they approached the lesson. The discussion ranged through a variety of related topics, branching out along logical lines and circling back to the main topic. He noticed that while they were currently speaking Veretian that many of the books spread open on the table were in Akielon and Vask. 

The boy seemed more prone to emotional arguments, his points were well supported but Damen could see that he had a bit of a soft touch. The girl was slightly more shrewd, not cold or unfeeling per say but she seemed to hold her feelings farther away from the debate. He could see the push and pull between them, how they would balance each other out. 

 

Laurent cleared his throat delicately and both children as well as the tutor snapped to attention, rising and turning to face them before dropping into bows. 

“At ease, subjects.” Damen could easily hear the fondness wound through Laurent’s tone, his face relaxed. He gestured between themselves and the children with a gracefully vague wave. They straightened up and regarded Damen with guarded, calculating looks he is _sure_ they lifted directly from Laurent. 

“Damen, meet Aster and Polanthus. Children, King Damianos of Akielos.”

They greeted him politely and formally and then fell silent. They were lovely youths, both had russet hair, waving down around even features. The boy had a smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose and the girl had piercing grey eyes. It was clear that they were related. After a long few moments Damen realized they were waiting for some response from him. 

“Right. Good to meet you. Keep up the good work.” 

Laurent stopped a hair shy of rolling his eyes at Damen but he did share a slightly exasperated look with the children. “Doubtless you will be seeing more of King Damianos in the future, hopefully in a slightly more eloquent mood. You’re dismissed, back to your studies.” 

They rejoined the tutor at the table and from what Damen could gather as they left the room, changed subjects to military history. 

Damen found his left arm in Laurent’s deceptively strong grip as he steered them towards one of the gardens. He waited to ask questions, confident that Laurent would start providing information. They took a seat by a fountain and Laurent began to lay out the details. “They’re from one of the border villages, which specific one is not important, only that it has in the last few decades changed hands and alliances from Veran to Akielon and back several times.” 

“Any family obligations?” 

“They are fraternal twins orphaned at a young age. Unfortunate but it does make them rather perfect for our purposes. They were raised in a temple near the border until the priest alerted me to their mental acuity. I had them sent here to be privately tutored, as you can see.” 

Damen let one of his hands rest casually in the small space between them and smiled when Laurent twined their fingers together. 

“You’re thinking we can train them both in both countries, aren’t you.”

He earned a rare, pleased smile from Laurent. “There are moments that make you worth keeping around. Yes, I thought that next year they can start training with us directly, switching places every year or half year. They will be citizens of both countries with everyone’s best interests in mind. And they’ll have a powerful tie to each other.” 

“And when the time comes, they can each marry and produce heirs.” 

“Indeed.” Laurent was gazing off into the garden but his hand was warm in Damen’s and he was leaning ever so slightly into his shoulder. 

Damen smiled, looking at Laurent from the corner of his eye. “Well, it seems like you have thought of everything.” 

“I’m sure there will be adjustments to be made. You’ll help with that.” 

He really shouldn’t but he was in such a good mood. He was here in Arles for the summer, he wouldn’t have to leave Laurent again for _weeks_. He couldn’t resist teasing just a little. “You know, if you didn’t want to share my bed with anyone you could have just said so.” 

He probably deserved the sharp elbow to the gut but since it was quickly followed up by a sweet kiss he couldn’t really complain. Laurent tasted like summer sunshine and coming home. The future looked bright.

**Author's Note:**

> The twins both have flower names, I chose Aster first because I liked it and realized that if I named one twin something that sounded like Castor that they would have to match. So I looked for a flower that sounded a little similar to Pollux and now they are a matched set.


End file.
